East Lothian's Fleurtations sees business blossoming

Plantscaping business Fleurtations has seen enquiries blooming from the hospitality industry and recovery in the events sector as it prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

The East Lothian-based firm – which counts the Balmoral Hotel, JP Morgan and The Royal Yacht Britannia amongst its customers – is run by David Chalmers and Belinda Jarron, who have just celebrated their silver wedding anniversary.

They began Fleurtations in 1991, and it creates, installs and maintains high-end interior and exterior plant displays, window boxes and hanging baskets. It now has more than 1,000 clients, including the likes of the Scottish Parliament, Lloyds Banking Group and Deloitte as well as golfing event The Open Championship.

Fleurtations is run by Belinda Jarron and David Chalmers, who have just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Picture: Kirsty Anderson.

The business has grown from turning over £22,000 with a single employee in its first year, to a staff of 20 and sales in excess of £1 million, and despite a 25 per cent drop in turnover during the pandemic, business is now back to pre-Covid levels in most areas in the new financial year.

Ms Jarron, managing partner at the firm, said: “There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel as lockdown begins to ease. The nature of our orders has changed since before the pandemic began – they are now much more short notice and short term as our clients try to find their feet.

“When we set out in 1991, we wanted to do the best job we could for whoever we worked with. To now be achieving that with the clients we do is a dream come true, and we now look forward to continued success over the next 30 years.”

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The couple has secured a client base that includes the Scottish Parliament, Lloyds Banking Group and Deloitte. Picture: Kirsty Anderson.

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